CHAPTER X, 



INDIGO IN THE NORTH-WESTERN PROVINCES. 



THE subject of indigo in the North- West Pro- 

 vinces has not, it seems, been sufficiently under- 

 stood. The network of factories in the North- 

 West are mainly native, in some few instances 

 managed by Europeans absolutely European proprie- 

 torship is scarce. Under the native system, where a 

 European manager is entertained, the practice is gen- 

 erally as follows : We premise that from 300 maunds 

 of plant, I maund of dye is extracted. In the month 

 of January advances are made by the purchasers of 

 the plant, seed, or gdd (unpressed indigo) to the 

 zemindars or ryots ^ but more generally to the former, 

 for security's sake. The intending purchaser ascer- 

 tains the growing capabilities of the land which he 

 intends to sow with indigo, and the number of ploughs 

 the contractor can command. Assured on this point, 

 he enters into a calculation by which he satisfies 

 himself that 10 katcha, bighas of land are the maxi- 

 mum which one contractor can manage to cultivate 

 properly with the aid of a single pair of oxen. The 

 produce from this will average from fifteen to twenty 



maunds of plant and one maund of seed per bigha. 

 R,, In. F 



